It is really sad that our people have to drown in the Mediterranean as they try to cross over to Europe. It kind of reminds me the countless Ethiopians who are arrested in Kenya while on transit to South Africa.
As many as 700 migrants were feared drowned Sunday after their packed boat capsized off Libya in what was described as the deadliest such disaster to date in the Mediterranean.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and Italy's coastguard said only 28 people had survived the wreck. Their testimonies suggested there had been about 700 people on board the 20-metre fishing boat, officials said.
"It seems we are looking at the worst massacre ever seen in the Mediterranean," UNHCR spokeswoman Carlotta Sami said.
The Maltese navy said it had received an alert about the stricken vessel around midnight (22h00 GMT) on Saturday.
The vessel was about 126 km off the Libyan coast and 177 km south of the Italian island of Lampedusa when it issued a distress call, Italy's coastguard said.
As many as 700 migrants were feared drowned Sunday after their packed boat capsized off Libya in what was described as the deadliest such disaster to date in the Mediterranean.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and Italy's coastguard said only 28 people had survived the wreck. Their testimonies suggested there had been about 700 people on board the 20-metre fishing boat, officials said.
"It seems we are looking at the worst massacre ever seen in the Mediterranean," UNHCR spokeswoman Carlotta Sami said.
The Maltese navy said it had received an alert about the stricken vessel around midnight (22h00 GMT) on Saturday.
The vessel was about 126 km off the Libyan coast and 177 km south of the Italian island of Lampedusa when it issued a distress call, Italy's coastguard said.